16-year-old Thewbelle Philp has set a new Australian under-20 women's 60 metres record, running 7.30 seconds at the 2025 Australian Short Track Athletics Championships at the weekend.
Oceania Athletics reported the record, which Ms Philp achieved in heat 1.
"In the first instance I was really shocked but also very excited when I heard the news," Philp said.
"Now I have had time to process it and I am very proud of myself and still very excited, given I am 16 years old and I still have the rest of the season and two more years to try and lower the mark."
Born on 5 April 2008, Ms Philp was raised on the Gold Coast by her Indigenous (Minjungbal) father and Filipino mother.
"My mix of heritage is what accounts for my height and speed! My background is mum being Filipino and dad being Aboriginal," Ms Philp said.
Philp began athletics training at five but took a break before returning to the sport at ten, inspired by the 2018 Commonwealth Games in her hometown.
At 16 she represented Australia at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, contributing to the 4x100m relay team's qualification for the final.
"The opportunities have been so amazing from interstate to international travel, along with training with the 4x100 Olympic girls," she said.
"I have been able to connect with many Australian athletics support staff and those relationships have really helped me grow as an emerging elite athlete."
Philp's personal bests include 11.38 seconds in the 100 metres and 23.21 seconds in the 200 metres, both set in Brisbane in late 2024.
The Minjungbal athlete is among a new generation of Australian sprinters, alongside Torrie Lewis and Gout Gout.
Balancing her training with studies, Philp commits around 20 hours a week to athletics while also working part-time at a local supermarket.
The sprint prodigy will be competing in the 100m at the Adelaide Invitational on Saturday 15 February, taking on Bree Masters, the first Australian woman to make an Olympic semi-final since Cathy Freeman.
"I am looking forward to my next race in Adelaide next week," she said.
Looking ahead, Philp has a clear goal for the year.
"The pinnacle of the domestic season for myself and many other athletes is the national championships in Perth later in April this year," she said.
Philp also has set her sights on competing at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
